Lighting fixture



29, 1936. w. A. STONE Q 2,065,626..

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Dec. 21, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

WMQiJ ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an improved lighting fixture which is well adapted for the indirect lighting of a room and is highly efficient.

Second, to provide an indirect lighting fixture of the foregoing character having means associated therewith for illuminating the fixture itself and directing the light to prevent the formation of shadows.

Third, to provide an indirect lighting fixture which is attractive in appearance and very efficient and effective for the purpose intended.

Objects relating to details and economies of my invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

Embodiments of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a View mainly in side elevation of a lighting fixture embodying features of my invention, the ceiling and lamp supports or hangers being conventionally illustrated.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on a line corresponding to line 33 of Fig. 2, the center lamp being shown in full lines.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view mainly in transverse section on a line corresponding to line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of a modification.

Referring to the drawings, I indicates the ceiling of a room, the ceiling having a light reflecting surface or finish 2, where highest efficiency is desired. My lighting fixture 3 is suspended below the ceiling I by suitable means, the means illustrated being four hanger rods 4 arranged to form a square, the upper ends of the rods being connected to a suitable ceiling plate 5. To the lower ends of the hanger rods is connected a central bracket 6 having an upwardly opening socket I provided with an upstanding lamp as 8. The-lamp is adapted to flood the reflecting surface 2 of the ceiling I with light to indirectly light the room.

The central bracket 6 is provided with upwardly and outwardly extending opposed arms 9 having outwardly opening sockets II] at the ends thereof for the horizontally disposed lamps II, the lamps II being preferably the tubular type and arranged in the form of a cross with the central lamp 8 at the center thereof. The lamps II are also adapted to directly light the ceiling, the lamps II being arranged in a common horizontal plane in spaced relation to the ceiling. Below each of the lamps, I arrange a lateral reflector I 2 of V-channel cross section having an open bottom slot I3 for the passage of light from the lamp. The inner ends of the lateral reflectors I2 are connected to the central bracket by means of the central reflector I I which is adapted to reflect light from the central lamp 8 to the ceilng.

Under the bottom slot l3 of each of the lateral 10 reflectors I 2, I dispose a trough-shaped secondary reflector I5 which is shaped so as to redirect the light passing through the slot I3 to the outer sides of the reflector I2 to illuminate the same and to be reflected thereby. As shown by Fig. 4, the walls i6 of the light passage I! are curved so that practically all of the light emanating directly downwardly from the lamp II is directed toward the inner reflecting surfaces of the secondary reflector I5. Further, the trough-shaped reflector I5 is conformed so that all of the light received thereby is redirected and diffused and directed over the outer surfaces of the reflector I2 to uniformly illuminate the same and to be reflected thereby. The reflecting walls I8 are provided for coaction with the reflecting inner surfaces of the reflector I2 to uniformly distribute the light over the ceiling above the fixture.

Below the main reflector I4, I suspend a substantially conical secondary central reflector I9 for illuminating the outer sides of the main reflector by reflected light from the central lamp 8 and to provide a central outer reflecting surface. The reflector I9 is provided with a bottom aper- 5 ture 20 and a central vertical light passage 2| having light reflecting surfaces. A conical tertiary central reflector 22 is hung below the aperture 26 by means of the suspending clips 23 and is provided with reflecting inner surfaces 24 for illuminating the outer side of the secondary central reflector I9. In this way, shadows below the lighting fixture are substan tially entirely eliminated, as are ceiling shadows.

With the exception of the lamps, my indirect lighting fixture is preferably made of sheet metal having light reflecting surfaces of the desired reflecting property, the inner light reflecting surfaces preferably having a high light reflecting ability and the outer surfaces preferably having a reflecting property harmonizing with that of the ceiling. Thus, the fixture blends in with the ceiling and efii-ciently illuminates the room by indirect lighting.

It is to be understood that the external finish may be as desired but that certain finishes would detract somewhat from the reflecting eiflciency thereof. However, the fixture has relatively high efliciency even where the outer surfaces are of dull finish or have low reflecting efficiency.

If desired, as shown by Fig. 5, the light transmitting passage 3| of the reflector 29 may be conformed so as to utilize to the maximum degree light from the central lamp 8 in lighting the lower reflector 32. Further, in this modification, the reflecting inner surfaces 34 of the lower reflector are shaped to scientifically distribute and direct the light to the curved outer surface of the reflector 29. Likewise, the reflector 29 is provided with inner reflecting walls 28 for indirectly lighting the corners in the central part of the fixture so that no light is lost. Otherwise, the fixture of the modification is substantially the same as the fixture shown and described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4.

From the above description of my invention, it will be apparentto those skilled in the art 'thatI provide an indirect lighting fixture which is very efficient and effective in operation. All of the light from the lamps is utilized and all shadows are eliminated, the exposed surfaces of the fixture itself being illuminated and. coacting with the ceiling to indirectly light the room. Aside, from its efliciency and usefulness, my fixture is very attractive in appearance. The degree of illumination is readily controlled by energizing all of the lamps at once, or only the center lamp,

or only the tubular lamps.

I have illustrated and described my improvements in embodiments which I have found very practical. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe other embodiments or adaptations as 'it is believed this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention is therefore not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an indirect lighting fixture, the combination of four hanger rods arranged to form a square and adapted to suspend the fixture from a ceiling, a central bracket connected to said hanger rods and having opposed upwardly and outwardly inclined arms, a central socket on said bracket opening upwardly, a central lamp in said socket, lateral sockets at the ends of said arms opening outwardly, lateral tubular lamps in said lateral sockets radiating from said central lamp in a horizontal plane, lateral reflectors of V-cross section disposed under said tubular lamps and connected at their inner ends to said central bracket, said lateral reflectors having bottom slots, trough-shaped reflectors suspended from said lateral reflectors below said slots for illuminating the outer sides of said lateral reflectors, a main reflector for said central lamp, a conical secondary central reflector hung below said central lamp for illuminating the outer sides of said main reflector and having a bottom aperture, and a conical tertiary central reflector suspended below said aperture for illuminating the outer side of said secondary central reflector.

2. In an indirect lighting fixture, the combination of a hanger adapted to suspend the fixture from a ceiling, a central bracket connected to said hanger and having opposed arms, a central socket on said bracket opening upwardly, a central lamp in said socket, lateral sockets at the ends of said arms opening outwardly, lateral tubular lamps in said lateral sockets radiating from said central lamp in a horizontal plane, lateral reflectors disposed under said tubular lamps and connected at their innerends to said central bracket, said lateral reflectors having bottom slots, reflectors suspended from said lateral reflectors below said slots for illuminating the outer sides of said lateral reflectors, a main reflector for said central lamp having inner and outer reflecting sides, a secondary central reflector hung below said central lamp and having an inner reflecting side for illuminating the outer reflecting sides of said main reflector and having a bottom aperture, and a tertiary central reflector suspended below said aperture for illuminating the outer side of said secondary central reflector.

3. In an indirect lighting fixture, the combina tion of a hanger adapted to suspend the fixture from a ceiling, a centralbracket connected to said hanger and having opposed upwardly and outwardly inclined arms, a central socket on said bracket opening upwardly, a central lamp in said socket, lateral sockets at the ends of said arms opening outwardly, lateral lamps in said lateral sockets radiating from said central lamp in a horizontal plane, lateral reflectors of V-cross section disposed under said lateral lamps and connected at their inner ends to said central bracket, said lateral reflectors having bottom slots, trough-shaped reflectors, disposed below said slots for illuminating the outer sides of said lateral reflectors,'and a main reflector for said central lamp.

4. In an indirect lighting fixture, the combination of a hanger adapted to suspend the fixture from a ceiling, a central bracket connected to said hanger and having opposed arms, a central socket on said bracket opening upwardly, a central'lamp in said socket, lateral sockets at the ends of said arms opening outwardly, lateral lamps in said'l ateral sockets radiating from said central lamp in a horizontal plane, lateral reflectors disposed under said lateral lamps and.

'ends of said arms opening outwardly, lateral lamps in said lateral sockets radiating from said central lamp in a horizontal plane, lateral reflectors disposed under said lateral lamps and connected at their inner ends to said central bracket, a main reflector for said central lamp, a secondary central reflector disposed below said central lamp for illuminating the outer sides of said'main and lateral reflectors and having a bottom aperture, and a closure reflector disposed 'below said aperture for illuminating the outer side of saidsecondary central reflector.

'6. The combination in an indirect lighting fixture, of a bracket carrying a. central lamp, arms ioinedto said-bracket, radial lamps operatlvely upwardly facing radial reflectors operatively asassociated with said arms, a reflector assembly comprising a central upwardly facing reflector having internal and external reflecting surfaces operatively associated with said central lamp and trough-shaped upwardly facing radial reflectors operatively associated with said radial lamps, said central and radial reflectors having bottom openings, and upwardly facing secondary reflectors supported below said openings and acting to reflect the light passing through the openings upon the external surfaces of said central and radial lamp reflectors, the outer surfaces of said central and radial reflectors being upwardly curved.

7. The combination in an indirect lighting fixture, of a bracket carrying a central lamp, arms joined to said bracket, radial lamps operatively associated with said arms, a reflector assembly comprising a central upwardly facing reflector having internal and external reflecting surfaces operatively associated with said central lamp and sociated with said radial lamps, said central and radial reflectors having bottom openings, and upwardly facing secondary reflectors supported below said openings and acting to reflect the light passing through the openings upon the external surfaces of said central and radial lamp reflectors.

8. In an indirect lighting fixture, means adapted to suspend the fixture from a ceiling, means connected to said first means and carrying a central socket and lateral sockets opening outwardly, lamps in said central and lateral sockets, lateral reflectors disposed under said lateral lamps, a central reflector having internal and external reflecting surfaces operatively associated with said central lamp, said reflectors having bottom openings, and secondary reflectors supported below said openings and acting to reflect the light passing through the openings upon the external surfaces of said central and radial reflectors.

WILLIAM A. STONE. 

